Western Trouble
by Dutchygirl
Summary: AU. What could have happened if the sisters lived in the Old West. While Phoebe's tired of her life in town, Cole tries to escape from his evil past, that's haunting him. Cole/Phoebe
1. The wild palmist

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own Charmed. Not one single bit of it. :'(_

_Although this fic is mostly Phoebe/Cole, it's also a story about family and finding a place to belong. Secondly this fic is not supernatural, so don't expect any demons, warlocks or magical powers to come._

_Well, I think that's all you need to know for now. If you have some questions, don't be afraid to ask. Let's begin with this first chapter..._

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Awakened from the dark night a boiling red spot slowly started to rise in the air. It wouldn't take long before it's bright light would warm every possible place it saw. Presently the sun would also discover a little town, where the people were used to the heat.

The sun wasn't the only thing the people were used to, although the town was small, there was never a peaceful day. It wasn't surprising when some men got caught up in a gunfight with no particular reason. Thieves, murders and rapers, the town was alive with them. The sheriff did the best he could, but he was already an old man, and a lot eluded his observation.

Just like every other town there was a saloon, where the people came for amusement and alcohol. The unusual thing was that the saloon was owned by a woman, Piper Halliwell. She had lived with her two sisters, Prue and Phoebe, in this town their whole lives. They were used to their rough surroundings.

The wildest and the youngest of the three sisters, by being 21 years old, sat not very awake with an old woman at a table in Piper's saloon. Phoebe surpressed a yawn, she usually didn't get up this early in the morning. It was because one of her customers that she already was out of her bed.

She looked sleepily at the hand of the old lady. What would she say today about the woman's future? It didn't matter really. As long as she predicted fortunate things to come, her customers were satisfied. Phoebe was a palmist, at least that's what she said she was. She was actually very surprised if one of her predictions came true.

It was very rare for someone to be a palmreader in this time, especially at this place. But then again, there was nothing ordinary about the Halliwells. They were very independent and strong women unlike the most women in this town who obediently followed their men. Maybe it was because of the early loss of their mother and their father leaving them, which made the Halliwells the way they were.

"I can't understand people really believe in that," Prue shook her head, as Phoebe walked to her sisters at the bar after she was done reading the lines on the woman's hand.

Her sisters didn't really like Phoebe being a palmist. Of course there were worse jobs than that, Phoebe could have been a prostitue or a criminal, but they'd rather had wanted their youngest sister to have a job, that was more stable and didn't have to relay on how trusting the people were.

"They all predict the same thing..." Prue took a hold of Phoebe's hand and pretended to see something, "...oh, Miss Halliwell, you're going to meet a dark, tall and mysterious stranger who will change your life forever."

Phoebe gave Prue a fake laugh, showing she didn't think it was funny.

"I don't say cheesy lines like that to people. I make up things that are much more believable," Phoebe said.

"Did she just brag she's a good fraud?" Prue turned to Piper who slightly had followed their conversation.

"I think so," Piper smiled, while she was cleaning some glasses behind the bar.

"Hey! I'm still standing right here!" Phoebe interrupted them, "...and you can't say I don't have customers."

"I think the most of your customers come here, because of your looks than of really wanting to know the future."

"Jealous of my admirers, Prue?" Phoebe joked, because she know Prue was right. The men who came here for wanting to know the future, usually used that as an excuse to get her in bed.

"Not at all," Prue answered Phoebe seriously.

There was only one man in Prue's life. The oldest sister of the Halliwell's was already married to Andy Trudeau for quite some years. He was the sheriff of another town nearby. Prue travelled a lot between those two towns, going from her man to her sisters. Although her sisters were both grown-ups, Prue couldn't escape the feeling of wanting to protect and take care of her sisters.

"Speaking of admirers... that guy, who drools because of you, just walks in, Piper," Phoebe smiled to Piper who began to blush.

"Who?" Prue asked curiously, while she looked to the men in the saloon.

"Liam, the doctor's son," Phoebe waved to a man who took a seat by a table.

That man sure came here a lot. He wasn't a violent man like the most men in this place were. He was very handy as well, he had repaired some broken chairs and tables in the saloon the other day. Phoebe usually flirted with every man she saw, but she hadn't done that to him, because it was obvious from the very beginning he had a crush on her sister. The first time he came here, he ran bump against a wall, because he was too busy staring at Piper.

"His name is Leo," Piper corrected Phoebe.

Phoebe and Prue gazed interested at Piper, wanting to hear more about her and the handyman.

"We just talked," Piper explained, while her red cheeks didn't seem to dissappear at all.

Phoebe and Prue exchanged a look to each other. Piper was the geekiest one of the sisters. Unlike her two sisters she was shy when it came to men. She build up her relations very slowly and carefully. By the time Piper finally kissed someone Phoebe already had dumped 5 guys.

"We'll leave you two... talking then. Are you going with me, Phoebe?" Prue asked.

"Where to?"

"The farm."

"No thanks... that's... boring," Phoebe stared not impressed to her sister.

Every once in a while the Halliwell sisters went to a farm nearby for milk and other supplies. A seventeen year old girl Jodie and her uncle lived there. Phoebe liked Jodie, who was a bit of a klutz, but Jodie's silent uncle gave Phoebe the creeps. She didn't know why though.

The oldest Halliwell sister frowned at her baby sister, who thought anything in this town was boring. Even though they had seen many fights in this dangerous town, especially in Piper's saloon.

As Prue got ready to take off, another man walked into the saloon. The spurs on his cowboy boots made a clinking sound by every step he made. His hair was neatly combed back and very greasy. With his light grey eyes he scanned the place to see someone he expected to be here. There appeared a great grin on his face when he saw the back of a young lady with long brown hair.

"Phoebe, it was about time we would drink something together," he tapped softly on her shoulder, through which she turned round and looked surprized into his eyes.

"Matt! Uh... yeah... and you know I'd love to... but I don't have time now... I'm very busy... with uh..." Phoebe stammered, looking around for a way out, which she found when Prue just wanted to leave the saloon, "... going to the farm with Prue, yes... that's what I'm doing, going with my sister."

Prue gave a confused gaze at Phoebe, who put an arm around her.

"Didn't you just say that was bo..."

"Bold. I said it was very bold," Phoebe quickly cut her sister off.

The smile on Matt's face changed into a dissappointed look.

"Uh... I'll see you later then," he said, while he walked to the bar to get a drink from Piper.

"You're terrible, Phoebe," Prue sighed, when they were outside and Prue realized why Phoebe suddenly decided to go to the farm with her.

"Yeah, but lovable at the same time," Phoebe smiled with puppy dog eyes to Prue.

"You have to go out with him someday, you promised him," Prue reminded the palmist.

"I know, but he's so... uh... how do you say that nicely? Uh... completely boring."

"Maybe you should go for the boring type for a change. All those dangerous bastards you dated before..."Prue already got the shivers only thinking about them.

Prue worried a lot about her youngest sister, especially because of the men she was attracted to. Everytime when she thought Phoebe couldn't choose anyone worse then the ones she already had, her sister surprised her with another jerk. Those men actually reminded Prue of the ones she dated in her past, before she met Andy. She just hoped her sister would end up with someone good like Andy as well, but the chance of that was little.

"They weren't all bastards," Phoebe contradicted.

Prue raised one of her eyebrows, wondering which one of Phoebe's lovers couldn't be labeled like that.

"Okay, they were," Phoebe gave in, after she couldn't remember one man treating her properly.

It was hard to say which man was the greatest disaster. The man who turned out to be married and have 5 children, the drunk lunatic, the incorrigible liar and then there were the men who left without any reason.

But it didn't bother Phoebe much when one of her relations failed again. Men were just for fun. Who needed a serious relation anyway?

"Well, if you're going to dump Matt, do it subtle then. He's the sheriff's son and if we get any trouble with him..." Prue began to talk about Matt again.

"Why do you think I promised to go out with him in the first place?" Phoebe cut her sister off, because she got tired of Prue's warnings.

Somewhere deep in her heart Phoebe knew her sister only wanted the best for her, but whenever Prue told her what to do, she desperately felt the urge to do the opposite thing. The annoying thing was that Prue was right, she was always right.

Phoebe knew she wasn't the most responisble one of the sisters, it surprised no one she was the sister who got in trouble all the time. It felt like everything she did was doomed to go wrong. If her sisters had the chance to completely control her life, so that they could prevent every mistake Phoebe made, they would be more than happy to do so.

Phoebe loved her sisters, she really did and her sisters loved her too. They hadn't had it easy with the early death of their mother and their father abandoning them. Her sisters were a great support and it was safe to live here above the saloon, but sometimes Phoebe felt so trapped in this town. She wanted to know whether there was more than this town.

She was planning on leaving here soon. To her sisters she was more a burden than a help. She didn't make much money by fortunetelling, but she already had saved some money to get out of here. Just a little bit more money and she was gone. Her sisters didn't know anything about her plans, because if they did, they would convince her to stay. That was the last thing Phoebe wanted; her sisters preventing her for making another so called mistake.

It would be irresponsible and wild to leave in an impulse. It was exactly what Phoebe was. The idea of being free, doing everything she wanted without her sister judging her allured her a lot. She couldn't wait to leave.

Prue and Phoebe arrived at the ranch, where they saw Jodie Turner. Her dark blue eyes and black curly hair made her a beautiful girl for men to look at, however she didn't realize that herself. She didn't care about her appearances and usually wore threadbare clothes. Jodie welcomed them with a friendly smile. The girl didn't see many people apart from her uncle, so it was a nice change when the Halliwells came.

After a small conversation Phoebe agreed to get the milk-cans out of the farm, leaving Jodie and Prue talking outside. She walked sighing into Jodie's home, muttering at herself if she could be doing anything more boring than this. Maybe she'd have had more fun if she had chosen to have a drink with Matt. Maybe not...

"What are you doing here? Who are you?" she suddenly heard someone saying behind her.

Phoebe turned round, seeing something she hadn't expect to see at all. A man with short brown hair stood right in front of her, his blue eyes piercing at her, trying to find out what she was up to. Phoebe was immediately atrracted by him. Oddly enough, he was only wearingdrawers. She would have laughed and flirted with him if he hadn't a revolver in his hands pointing at her.

"Phoebe... Halliwell..." Phoebe answered when she got over her surprise, "I came for... milk."

She pointed to the milk-cans at the other side of the living room. The man looked at the milk-churns, realizing the woman spoke the truth. He laid his gun down at a wooden table.

"And you are...?" Phoebe asked, relieved he had put the revolver away.

"Uh... not fully clothed apparently," he became suddenly aware he stood there only in his underwear, which made him feel even more stupid.

He was just awake and after he heared the noise of someone walking into the house, he had thought someone had broken into the house. In an impulse he had grabbed his gun and sneaked up on to her, without thinking about getting dressed. This was obviously not one of his best days, in his underwear threatening an innocent woman with a gun wasn't his idea of good manners.

He still had to get used of living in this farm. Although it wasn't the most safe place to be, he had to get rid of the idea he could be attacked any minute. But it was hard for him to look at people without getting suspicous. It wasn't in his nature to believe people had good intentions.

"Sorry, I didn't expect anyone to be here. I didn't mean to... stand here in my underwear," he said embarrassed, while he put on his trousers.

"Oh, you _definitely_ don't have to apologise for that," Phoebe giggled.

It was natural for her to flirt, actually she didn't really know how to approach a man without flirting. However he ignored her comment, which was new to Phoebe. Men usually fell in love with her right away, well, not with her, only with her body. But Phoebe didn't get discouraged by his cold attitude. Maybe he just didn't hear her or was he too busy getting dressed.

"Phoebe Halliwell you said? You're the palmreader?" the young man asked surprised.

He heard the rumors about a palmreader who lived in the town nearby. But he hadn't been very interested in that, he didn't believe in such nonsense as someone predicting the future. He would have pictured her as an old lady who wanted to make some money by deceiving people. However this woman was young and very attractive. She probably already had charmed a lot of men with those two dark brown eyes which were staring at him now.

"Yes... and who are you?" she asked a bit unsure, while she wondered what he had heard about her.

"Cole Turner. I'm Jodie's brother."

Phoebe gave him a quick nod. She didn't know Jodie had a brother. Now she thought about it, she couldn't remember Jodie ever talking about a brother.

"I haven't seen you around here before,"Phoebe remarked.

"I came here a few days ago," Cole explained.

"Phoebe?" Prue walked into the room, getting worried why Phoebe still hadn't returned. She looked at her sister and Cole. She greeted Cole, she had already heard from Jodie her brother was here as well.

"Phoebe, we should go," Prue told Phoebe, after she grabbed a milk-churn.

Phoebe reluctantly followed her sister after giving a short smile to Cole. She would have loved to talk some more to Cole. She thought it adorable to see how embarrased he had been. It didn't happen every day she met a handsome man with such sweet eyes. Then again, it didn't happen everyday someone wanted to shoot her.

"Oh no, you don't," Prue warned Phoebe, as they walked back to Piper's saloon.

"What?"

"I know that look on your face, Phoebe. Like you're some kind of wild animal ready to catch your prey. You're not going to begin anything with Cole, okay?"

"Why not?" Phoebe asked, she didn't like it when Prue meddled with her love life.

"Because I heard from Jodie he's here with his girlfriend."

"Let's repeat my question... why not?"

"Phoebe!" Prue yelled, not understanding her youngest sister would want to seduce someone who was already taken.

"Gee... I was just kidding, Prue," Phoebe rolled her eyes, "I'll keep 'my claws' off Cole... He didn't like me anyway."

---

"Where's Cole Turner? I know he's been here."

A man, in his mid thirties, stared with his dark eyes at the older man who sat behind a desk and avoided his gaze. The man kept his eyes focused at the old man, while he threw the stump of the cigar he had been smoking at him. The old, bald-headed man looked not impressed at the stump, which landed on the floor.

"I can only remember something vaguely, you get that at my age... Maybe I know more if I had more money," the bald-headed man suggested.

The youngest of the two men in the room became impatient. He didn't want to waste any of his time longer than needed by interrogating this money-grubber. He walked towards the old man, pulled out his gun and seized the man his throat.

"Or maybe if you tell me, I won't shoot your head off," he threatened, while he pressed the fire-arm against the temple of the bald-headed man.

"Easy... easy... Raynor," the old man could hardly speak,"... He... headed west from here."

"Thanks," Raynor mumbled, letting go of the man's throat.

The old man touched relieved with his hands his throat. Raynor looked coldly at him, now he had the information he wanted the old man had no use more for him. He didn't doubt one second before he shot the man in his head.

He walked outside, where his horse and men were waiting for him. He vaulted into the saddle, knowing he was getting closer. It wouldn't take long before he would find out where Cole, the man who betrayed him, was.

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_Whoa, that was long for a first chapter. So... how was it? Good? Bad? A complete nightmare?_

_Give me a review if you want to read more. I'm at the moment not sure whether I'm going to continue this story or not... So I think I'm going to let my decision depend on what kind of reviews I'll get... well, if I get any of course..._

_Also, if one of you reading this, thanks to you who reviewed the last chapter of 'Between Good and Evil':)_


	2. An unwanted saviour

_Okay, I made up a whole plot for this story, so don't worry about me getting writer's block. I just hope I'm going to have enough time to update weekly... because that's what I'll try to do. _

_Thanks for reviewing, _

_**Badgirl21**- __You're right here from the start again. That's cool:) _

_**Phoebe Turner Halliwell** – I'm so happy you like this story as well :D Thanks for the thought... it's going to happen... well, something like that. It's going to take some chapters before Raynor actually will arrive, because I first have to build up some kind of relation between Phoebe and Cole, but Raynor will come and when he does... it ain't going to be pretty._

_**Sehar** – Aw, thanks for the nice review... I read some spoilers for Charmed as well and it makes me sad. I mean, again someone who admires her work? I guess Brad really lost his inspiration in making up something new._

_**Pam Halliwell** – This story better than Between G& E ?... I'm doing the best I can!_

_ **- 2 -**_

He moved his head a bit away from her. She smiled to him, while she had the feeling his tongue was still whirling in her mouth. He gave her a nice smile in return, so she pushed away the thought of wiping her mouth off. She had to admit she had worse, but she definitely had better than this. At least now she knew she wasn't going to kiss him again. The only question left was how she was going to dump this one...

Phoebe finally had spent some time with Matt in Piper's saloon, drinking some whiskey's. It went just like as she had expected. Matt had been nice, but not very interesting. Actually she had the most of time been flirting with other men and he hadn't even noticed. After a couple of hours she went outside with Matt where they kissed each other, which she now already regretted, because it made it harder to get rid of him.

"I've got to go," Phoebe tried to escape, when he started to kiss her neck.

However he didn't listen and Phoebe tried to push him away from her, realizing how tight his arms were wrapped around her. He pressed her closer to the wall of the saloon.

"You want this as well, Phoebe," he whispered into her ear.

"No, I don't..." Phoebe began to feel trapped, "... now get off."

She pushed him away again, but it was only a weak form of resistance. She felt his hands going under her blouse, while he continued to kiss her neck.

"Get off!" with all her strength Phoebe kneed him, through which he landed on his back on the ground. An angry grimace appeared on his face when he felt the pain and realized what she had done. She looked disgusted at him and stepped back.

"You'll pay for that, bitch," he pulled out his revolver and aimed at her.

She froze for a moment with disbelief by the thought he really wanted to shoot her. It was hard to believe the man who just kissed her now wanted to wound her. She began to run away from him. But she had too little time to get out of his sight. She closed her eyes, because she didn't want to see what was going to happen.

A shot.

She opened her eyes, stopped running and looked to her body. Although she hadn't feel anything, she felt relieved not to see any blood. When she realized she truly didn't get shot, she stared to Matt who was as confused as she was. He still lay on the ground, looking to his hands, where no longer a gun was. Then he looked in the direction where the shot came from. Phoebe did the same thing, wondering who her mysterious saviour was. She saw someone coming to them.

"You kill everyone who refuses to have sex with you?" the figure in the distance, began to sneer, "...no wonder so many people die here."

" Cole..." Matt recognized the shade,"... you still have that stupid humour of yours."

It had been over a week since the first time Phoebe had seen him. Although she was relieved not to be alone with Matt anymore, Phoebe felt her heart beating a bit faster now Cole was here. Cole came closer and had his pistole still pointed at Matt.

"We're going to compliment each other now?"

"I already heard you were nearby, " Matt slowly got up from the ground, "It was about time we settled things."

Phoebe gazed confused from Matt to Cole, feeling the hate between the two of them. This was obviously not only because of what just happened.

Matt looked round, hoping to see his revolver, which Cole shot out of his hands, somewhere lying on the ground. However he didn't see it and he knew he wouldn't stand a chance if he would attack Cole now, who did have a gun. He narrowed his eyes of disgust when he stood right in front of Cole.

"A gunfight. You and me tomorrow," Matt challenged Cole.

Cole looked not impressed at him.

"You just got beaten by some gal. Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough already?"

"You won't be laughing tomorrow, Cole," Matt presumed Cole's answer as an acception.

Cole looked at Matt walking away, while Phoebe adjusted her clothes. Then he brought his attention back to Phoebe who to his surprise didn't seem to be scared at all.

"Are you okay?"

"Some gal?" Phoebe asked offended, while she felt startled by all that happened this evening.

"You're pissed because I called you that?" Cole asked not believing, "I just saved you from Matt. You should be thanking me now."

"It seems your ego is already big enough without me thanking you. Besides I could have handled Matt without your help."

Phoebe knew that last sentence wasn't true, but she didn't want him to think she was a weak, dependent woman who deseperately needed to be saved.

"Right, because you're that one woman on this planet who's invincible to bullets," Cole said sarcastically, not impressed by her words.

"You know, I like you better with your clothes off!" she yelled, remembering their first meeting.

"Trust me, you're not the first woman who said that to me!" he yelled back at her, losing his temper as well. Why couldn't she just thank him instead of screaming against him?

She stared at him and calmed down a bit, because she didn't know what to say for a moment. She didn't want to fall in with his last comment, so she changed the subject.

"So... there's definitely much love between you and Matt," Phoebe said sarcastically.

"He has every right to hate me."

"He has a reason to hate you? Gee, I wonder why," she gave another sarcastic comment.

Cole avoided her gaze and stared into the distance. She noticed a coldness that had appeared in his eyes. She realized something horrible between her saviour and attacker had occured, because of his sudden serious behaviour.

"What did you do to him?" she asked seriously this time, trying not to sound too curious..

"That's a long and boring story," Cole decided to say. Talking about Matt was one of the last things he liked to do.

"Bore me," Phoebe told him, while she moved a bit closer to him.

"You've spent the whole evening with Matt. You should be bored enough by now already."

Phoebe looked insulted at him, thinking of something mean to say back to him. However she couldn't find the words to say at this moment, while she usually was the one who had no problems with making up severe remarks.

"Choose your men a bit more wisely next time, Miss Halliwell," Cole tapped his hat and looked at her once more, seeing her furious eyes staring at him, before he walked away from her.

Phoebe sighed out of frustation as he disappeared in the distance, knowing he couldn't hear her anymore.

She went into Piper's saloon, which was filled with the usual visitors and Piper who was behind the bar.

"I can't believe that guy!" Phoebe exclaimed when she sat by the bar.

Piper looked at her younger sister, knowing that something had gone wrong now Phoebe was mocking here at the bar instead of having fun with some man she just met.

"Your night with Matt didn't turn out right?" Piper asked.

"Matt? I'm talking about Cole."

"Cole? That almost naked guy from the farm who has a girlfriend?" Piper remembered Phoebe's story after she and Prue returned from the ranch.

"Exactly. Who the hell does he think he is? He just walks in here and thinks he knows everything... he... he..."

Piper gazed a bit confused to Phoebe, wondering what Cole exactly had done to her, which made her so mad.

"... I think I've acted stupid " Phoebe finally let her anger cool off, because she actually didn't know why she was so angry with him.

What was wrong with her? She could have been dead if Cole hadn't showed up. She couldn't think of any other man who had done something like that for her. Now she couldn't help to feel quilty she had been mad at him, but she had felt so stupid at that moment. Because he was the only other person there, she had worked off her frustations at him. She couldn't really blame him for being mad at her as well.

If that wasn't worse enough already, he had been in her head this whole week and everytime she saw a glimpse of him when he was in town her heart seem to be dancing with joy. It drove her crazy and at the same time it scared her. She didn't want to have that kind of feelings, not for anyone. She was the one who played with the hearts of men and it shouldn't be the other way round.

But she had to get him out of her head, so she could return to being the Phoebe who didn't care what anyone thought about her. To the Phoebe who never give her heart to a man and therefore never could get hurt.

_---_

_He slowly closed the door behind him. The floor cracked by every step he made, which made him walk even more carefully than he did before. He narrowed his eyes a bit to see more in the darkness. At all cost he had to prevent he would knock something over or do something else that would give away his presence here. _

_He chose to go the left side, hoping it was the right choice. He didn't like wasting his time, the sooner this was done the better. He had his hand at the door-handle, but some noise behind him made him stop to open the door. He quickly turned around, seeing the same darkness as before. _

_However he still didn't trust the situation. He hadn't imagined that cracking noise. Someone else was here... awake. He silently walked to the stairs, going to the place where the sound came from. He stopped and listened, but he didn't hear anything. For a few seconds he stared downstairs, seeing nothing suspicous. He turned round again to continue his plans, but a great weight on his back made him fall on the floor._

_He ignored the pain of his fall, while he wrestled with the person who attacked him. The man gave him a blow in the face, which gave him a dizzy feeling. But he couldn't give up, he had to stay consciousto get away from here as soon as possible. He finally managed to push the man away from him, who bumped his head against a table-leg. _

_Heavily breathing he got up from the floor, rubbing his cheek where the man had hit him. He looked at his attacker who still lay on the floor by the table. The man was younger than he had expected, he was about the same age he was. But there was one main difference between them. The eyes of the man he was looking at were filled with fear. This man wasn't used to the possibility that he could be dead by morning. _

_He grabbed his gun out of his belt like he had done so many times before. He aimed his gun at the man, whose eyes widened._

"_Don't kill me," the man on the floor said softly._

_But he wasn't sensitive for people's appeals for help. Actually he hated it when people were scared. He saw the sweat drops on the man's forehead. His eyes were filled with even more fear, but also with something else; a little sparkle of hope. _

"_Please don't kill me."_

_That man still had the hope he wouldn't be killed? He couldn't believe the man was so foolish to think he would survive this night. _

"_I don't want to die. I beg you."_

"Hello? Cole?"

"_Please don't!"_

"Cole?"

"_Don't!"_

"Cole!" Alma yelled, through which he looked at her and she finally got his attention.

It was hard to see the expression on his face, because of the little light in the room. She wondered why he was sitting here alone in the middle of the night. She just wanted him to come to bed.

"I already called your name 5 times... what were you thinking of?" she asked.

"Nothing... important."

She considered pressing him for a clearer answer, but there was something on her mind that was more important to her now.

"I heard about the gunfight," Alma said.

He glanced at her, wondering what she was going to do next. Was she going to be mad and yell or was she going to burst into tears, begging him not to go through with it?

Alma looked in his eyes, guessing what he was thinking. But she failed yet again, she never knew what his thoughts were. He always seemed to be far away, he hid himself behind sarcastic comments or deep silences.

This gunfight showed again he never told her anything. He shut her out of his world and he probably didn't even do that on purpose.

The moments he told he loved her were very rare. And whenever he said those words, she knew he didn't mean it. She could see it in his eyes. Yes, he cared about her and maybe if he had no other chance he would give his life for her, to protect her, but love wasn't there. She already knew that from the very beginning, but somehow she had hoped he would learn to love her. But as time went by, she knew that wasn't going to happen.

However it was better to live in an illusion than face the truth. She tried to convince herself he did love her. When you want something so badly to happen, you do everything to keep on to that.

Alma kept staring in his eyes, hoping he would say something. But he glanced down and Alma knew the moment in which she could have asked something was already gone. Maybe she didn't even want to know why he got into this gunfight. Maybe it was better not to know.

Cole heard her footfalls walking back to bed. He rubbed his temples, it had been a bad idea to come here. He knew it would only be a matter of time before he would meet Matt here and whenever he ran into Matt, it resulted into a fight.

Besides the only reason why he came here in the first place was ignoring him. Jodie hadn't said one word to him since he got here. He had expected her to be furious, he had wanted her to be, but instead of that she was giving him the cold shoulder. It had been over 8 years he had seen his sister for the last time and the way he left had been abrupt. She had asked him then to stay, but he didn't. He regretted he hadn't listened to her.

Now he was different and she was changed as well. He noticed she was still as clumsy as when he left, but that was about the only thing that remained the same of her. She became more serious and he hadn't heard her laugh once since he arrived here. He missed that, the sound of laughter. It seemed to be from another life when he had heard that.

But there wasn't much to be laughing at. Their uncle was ill, he would be lucky if he would have more than a week left to live. Cole never got along with his uncle, the numerous fights they had were the only contact between the two of them. So he didn't come here to say goodbye to his uncle, he came here to take care of Jodie. To make sure she would find another place to stay when their uncle died. After he would do that, he would leave this town again.

However tonight he didn't know if he was even going to survive tomorrow. He hoped Alma would care of Jodie if he would die. Although he was already together with Alma for some months now and he knew she loved him, he didn't trust her. He didn't trust anyone.

Something that confused Cole was that there was another person troubling his thoughts. Phoebe Halliwell, the palmist. There was something about her. Although the two times they met each other were short, very unusual and she had been mad at him, she had awakened a feeling in him he never had before, a feeling he thought he didn't have. He tried to treat this feeling just as he treated his other emotions. He tried to surpress them. At a young age he had learned showing emotions was a sign of weakness. Besides having a crush on a woman was the last thing he needed now. He aready had enough problems.

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_A/N: Yup, Cole thought back at something that happened in his past... and it probably didn't make a lot of sense now, but don't worry everything will be explained in another chapter._

_How do Cole & Matt know each other? Who were the two men in the flashback? What's going to happen in the gunfight? How will Phoebe's & Cole's relation develop? What's going to happen when Raynor returns? ... so many questions and I'm going to answer all of them as this story continues..._

_But meanwhile maybe you could answer something for me:_

_- Does anyone of you know what the age differences between Phoebe, Piper and Prue are? Because I don't know if they ever said that on the show actually..._

_Reviews are always welcome... and I'll talk to you again by the next update!_


	3. Fight against yourself

_Yay, I get so nice reviews. Thank you, people :D _

_**Flower3** - My fic is cool? Yay :) Thank you for giving information about the age differences, however I didn't use your information, see below>>>_

_**Badgirl21** – Good to know you're still reading and liking my story :) _

_**Sehar** – I'm glad I could cheer you up with my update. The spoilers sure are drepressing... but I did read that the new man in Phoebe's life is in only 6 episodes, so maybe there's still some hope. (Okay, I think I'm still in denial )_

_**Phoebe Turner Halliwell** – I actually find it really hard not to tell you whether your thoughts about the flasback were right or wrong. But you just have to wait some more chapters before you'll find out... I have no plans for bringing Paige into this story. Prue was definitely better than Paige._

_**Maricole** – I know this story is different and the number of hits for this fic is low. So I'm really happy there are some people, including you, here who do enjoy this story :D_

_>>>Okay, because you people said two different things about the disparity in age of the sisters, I searched on the web myself. But actually I got tired of that very fast, because my computer was so slow. So, because you, Phoebe Turner Halliwell, was very sure of it ( I think) I used the one year difference between them. My apologies if your information, Flower3, was the correct information. _

_Here comes chapter 3... _

**- 3 -**

"A gunfight because of you?" Prue asked confused.

Phoebe nodded absently, having her attention more focused on Matt who just left the saloon. She hadn't slept at all last night. She had felt the hands of Matt still touching her skin, over and over again. She hoped that feeling would fastly while away as time passed.

"How did this happen?" the oldest Halliwell sister asked now she still hadn't heard some kind of explanation. Phoebe brought her attention back to her sister.

"Matt kissed me and..."

"Phoebe, kissing someone isn't quite what I meant by subtle dumping," Prue interrupted.

"Well, it's kind of hard to say you're not interested, when that person is sticking his tongue in your throat."

Prue gave a disgusted gaze to her sister who seemed to be upset.

"And your advice about going for a boring guy, wasn't that great. He wanted to shoot me," Phoebe said.

"What!" Prue yelled.

However Prue didn't get a further explanation, because Piper walked into the saloon with Leo. Piper and Leo spent a lot of time together lately. Their relation was going faster than Phoebe and Prue had expected. It probably was going faster than Piper had expected as well.

"They're going to begin," Piper informed her sisters.

Phoebe looked surprized that it was already time. Quickly she walked outside with her sisters and Leo following her. There were many other people standing outside, which was usual whenever there was a gunfight. Some people were interested, because it was the sheriff's son in a fight this time, some were just after blood.

Matt and Cole already stood in the middle of the sandy road with the agreed distance between them. They both were looking at the big clock in one of the wooden buildings on their left-side. When it would struck twelve they would fire. It was only a matter of who would react as first. Everything could be decided in a split second.

Matt had his heart in his mouth, feeling his heart beating faster by every second that went by. A gentle slant of wind ran through his bronze hair. His eyes were glued to his opponent and the hands on the clock, forgetting about the spectators and the fierce sun. It was just him, his enemy and the clock. He held his hand even closer to his side to pull out his gun faster. Phoebe looked from Matt to Cole, feeling the tension. She held her breath when the hand of the clock finally jumped to the twelve.

He took hold of his revolver and pulled the trigger, expecting to hear the reliable sound of a shot. However he only heard a dull click. Matt glanced confused and scared to his fire-arm, questioning why it didn't work. Then he gazed to Cole who had his pistol pointed at him, but hadn't fired. Matt casted off his surprise of all the things he hadn't expected to happen and calmly focused all of his attention to the man he had been fighting with.

"What, Cole?"

Matt threw his revolver down on the ground since it was useless without bullets and walked slowly towards Cole, through which a crunching sound was heard by every step he made.

"You're afraid to kill me?" Matt laughed disdainfully.

The bystanders were curious what the stranger was going to do and looked expectantly to Cole. Matt stopped walking when he was right in front of Cole. Cole let his gun down, so that it wasn't longer aimed at Matt.

"Don't tell me you're still holding on to your idiotic resolution not to kill anyone ever again," Matt whispered, while he narrowed his eyes as if the person standing next to him wasn't worth to look at, " You know it only will be a matter of time before you'll break it..."

Cole narrowed his eyes as well as he looked right in the eyes of Matt, which gave Matt the pleasure of knowing he stirred a tender chord by his enemy.

"I don't know how you sabotaged me, but we'll fight again someday, Cole and then I _will_ have bullets to kill you."

"I can't wait," Cole said sarcastically.

Matt turned round and walked aside, making his way through the crowd. The most of the bystanders went away as well, disappointed that not any blood was drawn. Cole saw a woman walking towards him and gave her a slight smile.

"Thank god you're alright," Alma wrapped her arms around him.

Phoebe had a feeling she would love not to have, but she couldn't help it. She felt jealous seeing the blonde hugging her saviour in the distance. But what else could she have expected? That she would be the one hugging him? That she would be the one taking care of him?

He probably didn't even care about her. She wondered if he would have saved her if it hadn't been Matt trying to kill her. Maybe he just wanted to cross Matt's plans. The hate between them she had felt was undeniable.

She saw Cole finally letting go of the woman. Phoebe already knew from the beginning he was taken, but she hadn't really pictured him with a woman. Especially not with a woman like Alma, who exactly was what Phoebe wasn't. Someone who was responsible and didn't get mad for no good reason.

Only an idiot would choose a bloody-mind, wild girl who searched for danger above a nice, good girl. It was just a ridiculous thought she would ever be with him. She hated her heart for wanting the opposite her mind told her to do.

Suddenly Phoebe became aware she was still staring at Cole and he was looking at her now as well. She was too shocked to look away or maybe she just didn't want to. She didn't know why he exactly looked at her. It was as if he tried to read her mind from far away. After a few seconds, although it seemed to be longer, he turned his gaze away from her, through which she looked away as well.

She realized no one noticed that short moment between her and Cole. Everyone was the same as before. It was like it never happened.

"That was... strange," Prue said about the gunfight.

Phoebe turned her head to Prue, while she saw out of the corner of her eyes Cole and the woman going away.

"Did you by any chance had something to do with that?"

"Well, I couldn't let Cole die in a gunfight that was caused, because he saved me," Phoebe admitted, while they walked back into the saloon.

"Phoebe, what if Matt would have checked his gun before the fight? What if he would have seen you removing the bullets? You are so lucky to..."

"Yeah, I know I could have been caught..." Phoebe cut her off, "... but everything went alright. Just calm down, okay?"

Prue fell silent, although her worried expression stayed. Phoebe sighed, not really reassured either. It probably wouldn't take long before Matt would suspect something and find out. On the other hand he already hated her for rejecting him, it maybe wouldn't make much difference.

At least that's what she hoped. Having Matt as an enemy would mean his father, the sheriff, would also be against them. That was the last thing she wanted. She already had brought her sisters into enough trouble through all those years without this.

Phoebe wondered whether Matt would owe her sister a grudge after she would leave this town. The thought of not having to see Matt ever again if she would go away, gave her a feeling of relief.

"But I don't get why Cole didn't shoot him," Phoebe puzzled, pushing away her worries. She sat down by a table and Prue sat beside her.

"Maybe he isn't such a good shooter," Prue suggested.

Phoebe raised one of her eyebrows, remembering he shot Matt's revolver out of his hands last night. Besides if he indeed was a bad shooter, he probably would have fired anyway.

"I've never pictured him to be someone shooting people..." Prue said.

The palmist looked confused to her sister and then realized something.

"You knew Cole before he came here?" Phoebe asked.

"No, not really. I've only seen him like twice or thrice before he left this town. I didn't even talk to him or something."

Prue remembered the tall, lanky boy wandering through town. She didn't exactly know why she hadn't expected him to be aiming a fire-arm at someone someday. Probably because he was just a child then.

If Jodie hadn't told her Cole had been home again, Prue hadn't even recoginized him. Not that his looks were changed a lot, but there was definitely something else changed in him. Something Prue couldn't really tell what it was, but she did know it was something she didn't like at all.

"He lived in this town?" Phoebe asked.

"No, at the ranch."

"Why can't I remember him?" Phoebe said disturbed, her thoughts going back to the past.

"Because you were probably too busy with finding trouble. Besides I think he actually didn't come a lot to town. And he left kind of sudden after his father was murdered... or his mother... or both... I actually can't remember anymore what happened..."

"His parents were murdered?" Phoebe asked surprized. She had known Cole's sister for some years now, but she actually never had wondered why Jodie lived by her uncle. It just had been a fact to her, never a question. Besides she never had talked with Jodie about serious issues.

"I'm not sure whether..." Prue muttered, while she noticed Phoebe's sudden curiosity. Her baby sister usually wasn't that interested in lives of other people.

"Why did he leave town? Where did he go?" Phoebe interrupted her, wanting to know more.

"I don't know, okay?"

Phoebe was disappointed by Prue's answer, but she didn't want to let the subject go so easily.

"Come on, Prue. You have to remember more than that."

"I really don't know," Prue answered a bit annoyed, because of her sister's insistence, "It was about 8 years ago, Phoebe. I was 15 and I had other things to do than following the latest rumors. Like taking care of you and Piper."

Prue knew the right words to say for Phoebe to maintain silent this time. Phoebe knew their conversation about what happened years ago was finished and her interest in talking any longer started to disappear.

"Now, what exactly did happen between you, Matt and Cole?" Prue repeated her question that still hadn't been answered.

Phoebe sighed, before she began to talk about last night.

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_A/N: Yeah, I know, it was a shorter chapter this time. Next chapter will be longer again, I promise :) And maybe I'll update sooner too._

_I don't know what the most common way of a gunfight is (I actually haven't seen many westerns... shame on me), so I just used the clock, because I saw that in a movie once. _

_Well, what did you think of this chapter? Was it an anti-climax nobody shot? And what about Cole not killing anyone ever again? Is he really going to hold on to it this whole story? _

_Next time: More flashback and Phoebe & Cole have a longer conversation than the first two times..._


	4. Those who leave and stay

_Well, I updated a bit faster this time. But I actually had planned to update earlier... but this whole chapter, which was almost finished got deleted by an error of my computer. I swear, I'm going to kill my computer someday. So I was very sad I had to write this whole chapter all over again, but I did it and here it is..._

_Thanks to my nice reviewers,_

_**Barb6 **– Thank you for saying it's well written, it means a lot to me. All your questions will be answered in the upcoming chapters. Also thanks for your review for 'Between G & E' _

_**Phoebe Turner Halliwell** – I'm glad you thought the gunfight better this way. I don't like Alma either. I actually don't like the most of the OC's I make up, but unfortunately I need them for my story. I shall try to update faster than once a week... so eternity will be a bit shorter ;) _

_**KIHarwick – **Yup, I will keep up the good work... I hope..._

**- 4 -**

_He slowly closed the door behind him. The floor cracked by every step he made, which made him walk even more carefully than he did before. He narrowed his eyes a bit to see more in the darkness. At all cost he had to prevent he would knock something over or do something else that would give away his presence here. _

_He chose to go the left side, hoping it was the right choice. He had his hand at the door-handle, but some noise behind him made him stop to open the door. He quickly turned around, seeing the same darkness as before. _

_However he still didn't trust the situation. He hadn't imagined that cracking noise. He silently walked to the stairs, going to the place where the sound came from. He stopped and listened, but he didn't hear anything. For a few seconds he stared downstairs, seeing nothing suspicous. He turned round again to continue his plans, but a great weight on his back made him fall on the floor. His fall made a din, which woke up someone else in the house, who got up from bed, wondering what all the noise was._

_He ignored the pain of his fall, while he wrestled with the person who attacked him. The man gave him a blow in the face, which gave him a dizzy feeling. But he couldn't give up, he had to stay consciousto get away from here as soon as possible. He finally managed to push the man away from him, who bumped his head against a table-leg. _

_Heavily breathing he got up from the floor, rubbing his cheek where the man had hit him. He looked at his attacker who still lay on the floor by the table. The man was younger than he had expected, he was about the same age he was. The light grey eyes of the man he was looking at were filled with fear. He aimed his gun at the man, whose eyes widened._

"_Don't kill me," the man on the floor said softly._

_But he wasn't sensitive for people's appeals for help. Actually he hated it when people were scared. He saw the sweat drops on the man's forehead. His eyes were filled with even more fear, but also with something else; a little sparkle of hope. _

"_Please don't kill me."_

_He looked contemptuously to the man who begged for mercy. Not did he nor the man know someone else was watching them. Someone who never had been in such a situation and therefore didn't know what to do. _

"_I don't want to die. I beg you. Please don't!" the man tried for the last time, while the sparkle of hope in his eyes almost completely were gone._

_He held his gaze pierced at his target, not wanting to waste anymore time. This would be over in a few seconds. He started to pull the trigger. _

"_Don't!"the person who had seen everything finally yelled, surpressing the fear inside._

_Startled by hearing someone else's voice, he aborted his plan for now and looked around. He saw the person who stopped him standing trembling in the door-way. Scared for what was going to happen next. He looked right in the eyes of the person, realizing to his horror that this child would be involved into this as well. _

"Hey."

Cole looked up to see who had greeted him. He stood outside by the fence, which enclosed the ground of the horses. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts before that he hadn't noticed someone had come to him.

"Phoebe," he smiled surprized. She was one of the last persons he had expected to see here.

To his concern he saw the same sadness in her eyes he had seen a few days before. Something inside of him wanted to protect her from all evil. But he wasn't the right person to do that. After all he seemed to be the one who caused evil things to happen. He knew he wasn't the same person he had been a year ago, but still there was the chance he would fall back into his old life. It was his greatest fear. That Matt was right, that they were all right... that he couldn't stay good. 

Seeing how uncomfortable the woman in front of him was, enlarged his curiosity even more of wanting to know why she came here.

Phoebe desperately tried to find the right words to say, but she couldn't think of something, while she on her way to the ranch had made up a thousands things to say. It had been such a good idea to come here in her head, but now she was indeed here, it felt like a mistake.

"... Do you like the town?" Phoebe finally said, hearing how ridiculous her words sounded and already felt regret for saying them.

Cole raised one of his eyebrows.

"You came all the way here to ask me that?"

Phoebe felt some anger in her blazing up, because he hadn't considered for one moment to answer her question and let her feel even more akward.

"Fine! I wanted to thank you for the gunfight," Phoebe thanked him, although it sounded anything but grateful.

It was the reason why she had come here. One of the reasons. Another reason was that she just wanted to see him again, but that was the reason she didn't like to admit and therefore ignored. Telling him that reason was the last thing she would do.

Cole stared a bit amused to the palmist, realizing she probably didn't like to thank people. She must have been at great pains, while she had said these words to him.

"A thank you from the great Phoebe?" he commented sarcastically, "... I'm amazed."

She gave him an angry look. For some reason she felt really vulnerable in his presence. Usually she was reckless, she did what she wanted to do and she said what she wanted to say, no matter the consequences or what people would think. She loved being that care-free person. Not many things could cause her to show her emotions, but when she was with him her emotions seemed to suddenly be very close to the surface.

She already knew offensive words to say back to him, but remembering how their last meeting ended, she contained herself this time.

"Don't push it," Phoebe warned him.

He noticed her furious look, which made him give in. He really didn't feel like to have a fight with her now.

"Okay, okay. Your welcome, but you could hardly call a gunfight. Nobody shot."

Phoebe was a bit surprized by his answer. Maybe he wasn't that arrogant as she had pictured him.

"Well, you impressed me..." she said before she realized it sounded as if she admired him. So she quickly continued her sentence,"... many people, I mean."

He felt a bit of happiness, hearing her say something nice to him, knowing she probably didn't want to have said that.

"Even with my clothes on?" he asked playfully, ignoring her last words.

"Hey, don't get your hopes up too much, okay?" she smiled to him.

He smiled back to her. He hadn't seen her smile before and now he did, he knew this was one of the most beautiful things he would ever see in his life. Phoebe avoided his gaze, because she was scared to do things her heart wanted if she looked into his eyes.

"What did you do before you came here?" Phoebe asked, because she didn't already want to go back to the saloon.

Cole began to look at the sky. He would have prefered she had asked him the question about him liking the town again above this one. Now he had to choose his words carefully, because if he told her about his past it was going to be very unlikely she still liked him.

"Not much... making enemies the most of the time, I guess," Cole said vaguely. He didn't like to lie.

"You don't like talking about your past, do you?" Phoebe noticed his detachment.

"It's not something I'm proud of."

"So you're going to stay this mysterious guy," she stated, hoping he would tell her some more. She was determined to find out who he was. She was going to know someday.

However Cole didn't fall in with it and changed the subject to something he suspected.

"It was you, wasn't it?"

"What do you mean?" Phoebe stared confused to him, not understanding what he was talking about.

"The gunfight... Kind of strange Matt didn't have bullets, don't you think?"

"You think I had something to do with that?" she asked innocently.

"Yes."

"Maybe it was me... or maybe not... Who knows?" she had an evil smirk on her face. If he was going to be mysterious, she wasn't going to tell everything to him either.

"Well, maybe thank you... or maybe not," Cole said, being positive she was the one who had saved him.

He bent his head a bit down towards her, while he moved his hand to her head. Confused by his actions Phoebe pulled back.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you..." Cole tried to reassure her, "... there's just a bug in your hair."

She looked surprized to him. She hadn't thought he was going to hurt her, she had thought he was going to kiss her. Her cheeks were getting red now she realized how stupid it must have looked to him that she pulled away from him, while he only wanted to remove a bug in her hair.

She was ashamed for thinking he had wanted to kiss her. At the same time she couldn't escape the feeling of disappointment as well.

"There," Cole said as he wiped away the little, green beast out of her hair, " Was that so bad?"

He brushed the lock of hair out of her face, that rebelious had been there the whole time. He gave her a short smile, before she stared deeply into his blue eyes, feeling lost. She automatically moved her head to his, not caring or thinking anymore about anything. The only thing that mattered was that she was here with him.

"No, not at all," she whispered.

"Cole! Cole!" they heard someone calling, through which they both looked up at the person coming out of the farm.

Phoebe who immediately got pulled back into reality, because of Alma's screams, tried not to look quilty as she saw Alma. Cole felt relieved Alma had come, because he seriously doubted he wouldn't have kissed Phoebe if she hadn't come. He didn't know where's his mind had been at that moment. He already had someone for god's sake, he shouldn't be fooling around.

But there was something between him and Phoebe. Physical attraction, probably even more than that. He decided he would avoid Phoebe as much as he could after today. Something like this shouldn't happen again.

Alma had stopped running and looked from Cole to Phoebe, having the annoying feeling she had interrupted something. She hoped it was just her imagination. Cole looked asking to Alma why she had called him.

"It's your uncle. He..."

Cole didn't let Alma finish, because he already knew what she was about to say. He ran into the farm, while Phoebe looked confused to Alma who gave her a short gaze before she followed Cole. Phoebe followed as well, not knowing what happened.

Inside a bedroom she stood next toAlma, looking at Jodie and Cole's uncle who lay in the bed. She had known the man was sick, but she hadn't realized it was serious. Cole who had been bending forward over his uncle, moved away, through which Phoebe could take a good look at the old man, his closed eyes, his unhealthy pale skin.

"Is he...?" Phoebe asked carefully.

"Yes, he's dead," Alma answered.

---

"Jo!"

Cole yelled again, but she still walked away from him, further away from the ranch.

"Don't call me that," Jodie screamed annoyed back at him, "I'm not 9 anymore."

He kept following her. After weeks of silence this was the first sentence she had said to him since he got here. She hadn't even been very sad when their uncle died a few days ago, at least that wasn't to be seen at her. Cole found it very hard to see what was going on in her mind. She seemed to be miles away from him.

"Get back here!" he yelled.

He hadn't expected it, but she did stop walking and turned around. She was in a dreadful temper. She could get mad very fast and when she was, she was darned good in it. Apparently he still had something in common with his sister.

"I hate you," she said coldly.

It didn't surprise him she said that to him, it surprised him he still could be hurt by those words. He had heard those words so many times, he had seen so many faces of people hating him, he knew so many people who wanted him dead. He had thought he would be immune from hatred for him someday, but that day didn't seemed to exist.

"I know you're upset and..." he tried.

"No, you don't! You don't understand anything about human feelings."

He couldn't argue that. He had surpressed his own feelings for so long, that it was almost like he didn't have them. He had lived as if he wasn't human for many years. Years in which he only did what he was told to do, never having doubts, never questioning why, never thinking about how much he harmed people.

"What else was I supposed to do? Leave you here all alone at the ranch?" he asked.

"No, dumping me here by some people I don't know, that's a brilliant plan."

Jodie had lost her temper after he told her he would leave soon and sold the ranch to people who would take care of her as well. She really didn't understand her brother. He hadn't even discussed it with her. Why didn't she have a say in it? Wasn't she important enough? Did he even care one single bit about her?

"What do you want me to do then?" he stared at her.

"Well?" he asked again since she didn't answer.

She bit her lip, doubting whether she would tell him or not. Her pride was fighting against her sorrow. But she let her pride go away. She already had lost almost everything she had, this couldn't be such a great loss for her anymore.

"I don't want you to go, okay?" she admitted.

He was her only relative left and she had missed him, when he was away. Not that she would tell him that. After all he was the one who decided to leave, no one had forced him.

Cole looked unbelieving to his sister.

"I don't think..." Cole started.

However when he saw her disappointed gaze, he changed his mind, although he knew this was going to be the wrong decision for so many reasons.

"Okay, I'll stay," he said, for the first time listening to his heart and not to reason.

It was going to be unpleasant to tell this to Alma, who didn't seem to like this place. Then not to mention they would stay near the town where Phoebe Halliwell lived. He hadn't seen her anymore after his uncle died. Now he was going to stay here, it only would be a matter of time before he would see her again, but he convinced himself he wasn't going to fall for her.

He knew it was dangerous for him to stay at one place for a long time, however he told himself he was seeing things which weren't there. Little did he know how close danger already was to him.

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_A/N: This wasn't really a spectacular chapter. But I'm just slowly building up this story, so you can expect the most emotional and suspenseful things to come in the later chapters..._

_I have no idea what you thought of the Jodie/Cole scene. If you disliked it, I can reassure you there really aren't going to be many of them. But I had to write it, because of something that will happen later._

_Sorry if I made a lot of mistakes. This time I didn't read this chapter again after I wrote it, because I'm having a headache... I guess this really isn't my week. _

_Next time: Raynor..._


	5. Unwelcome visitors

_Uh-oh, kind of late update..._

_**KIHarwick** – The J/C scene wasn't bad at all? Thank you :)Only some grammar mistakes? That's okay, I guess I always make some of those in my chapters since English isn't my first language. But if I will make a lot of them in future chapters and they bother you, feel free to correct me_ _anytime._

_**Phoebe Turner Halliwell** – Well, I still don't think it was a very spectacular chapter, but maybe that's because I'm just more looking forward to writing the later chapters of this story. Ah, you're waiting for Phoebe/Cole scenes. Hm... I think you're especially going to like the next chapter, but for now here's chapter 5. (Sorry, I'm really testing your patience, aren't I? ;) )_

_**Pam Halliwell** – Thanks :) Yeah, I'll keep writing... _

**- 5 –**

Grey clouds had taken over the usual heavenly blue sky, through which sun-beams couldn't escape to earth anymore. It didn't take long before people noticed the darkened sky, after all this didn't happen often in their town. However they all knew too well what it meant, an inevitable storm was coming.

Cole had noticed the changing weather as well. He stared to the sky, wondering how much time it would take before the storm would break. He never had minded rain. Somehow it made him more at peace, because he was used to chaos. He felt to be more at place in a chaotic environment than in a peaceful one.

He walked into the farm. His farm. A fact which sounded surreal in his head, but he told himself he would get used to it. Maybe it was just what he needed, a steady place to stay.

He found Alma sitting bored in the main room, doing nothing. Just like the days before. She hadn't been thrilled of hearing the news they were going to stay here. It was like she was protesting against it by staring into nothing the whole day.

She was nothing anymore of what she had been the first time he had seen her. She used to talk a lot, probably even more than good was for her. However nowadays she barely said a word and if she did, she thought twice before saying it, afraid of what Cole would think or answer. He changed her and definitely not for the better. An effect he seemed to have on most people and one of the reasons why he didn't want people close to him.

Seeing Alma sitting there, he finally made the decision that had been in his mind a few days now.

"Maybe you should go," Cole started carefully, although subtetly definitely wasn't one of his best qualities.

Alma turned her head to Cole, hearing his words echoing in her head.

"What?" she asked softly, not wanting to believe she had heard it correctly.

"You know... go home, back to your family."

"Why?"

Cole sighed. She wasn't going to make it easy for him, was she? But she deserved an answer.

"Because you're not happy here... any fool can see that."

She got up from her seat, walked to Cole and wrapped her arms around him.

"So I will be later, I just have to get used to this a bit," Alma smiled.

"It isn't the only thing... it's..."

"What?" Alma looked suspiciously to Cole, not sure of she wanted to hear anymore.

Cole didn't know how to say it. How could he tell her he could never make her happy? That he didn't love her? That he would never love her as she wanted him to? How could he tell her that without hurting her?

"What? Is there someone else?" Alma asked, seeing his puzzled expression.

"No," Cole answered immediately.

He did like Phoebe. A lot. And maybe it was unwittingly one of the reasons why he didn't want Alma here anymore, but it wasn't the main reason.

Alma stared in his eyes, hoping for an answer for a moment. However when Cole remained silent she decided not to wait any longer. She mistook his quickly spoken words of denial for a lie. She thought he did have someone else and she was determined to find out who it was.

"Fine. I'll go," she whispered.

---

Phoebe hummed a song she had heard a couple of days ago as she walked down the stairs into the saloon. She had promised to take care of the saloon today with Prue since Piper went out with Leo. Phoebe stopped walking when she saw Alma sitting in the saloon.

"What's she doing here?" Phoebe asked to Prue.

Alma hadn't come to the saloon before. The last time Phoebe had seen Alma was the day when Cole's uncle had died. That day had also been the last time she had seen Cole. Although she already had had some other lovers in the meantime, Cole still had been in her mind.

"Why are you so late? You were supposed to come..." Prue ignored Phoebe's question.

"I'm here now," Phoebe interrupted her sister before she would begin a boring preachment.

Phoebe looked to Alma who sat by the bar, drinking a whiskey, which definitely hadn't been her first drink. Phoebe was curious to know why Alma was here and she would find out, sooner than she had expected. Alma saw the palmist first in a glimpse. Then she looked again and gave her a piercing gaze, through which Phoebe looked away.

Alma shook her head. She remembered it all too clearly. That day at the farm when Phoebe had been there with Cole. There was something between them, she knew it. Cole had given a loving look to Phoebe then. A look he never had given to her.

"It 's your fault," Alma shouted.

Phoebe gazed not understanding to Alma, not knowing whether Alma was talking to her or someone else. Alma narrowed her eyes, because of anger.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you."

Alma got up from her seat, while she still had the bottle of whiskey in her hands. Phoebe stepped back, wondering what Alma was up to. In a instance Alma threw the bottle at Phoebe who duck just in time. Phoebe looked from the bottle that fell in pieces on the floor to Alma who was even more cross to see she hadn't hit Phoebe.

"Jesus, what's wrong with you?" Phoebe yelled angrily.

"You! You're my problem," Alma screamed back," You made Cole leave me!"

Before Alma could do something else Prue intervened and dragged Alma out of the saloon with difficulty. Phoebe couldn't really believe what just had happened and stared pointlessly in the air, being lost in her own thoughts. After a while Prue returned panting to the saloon and turned to Phoebe.

"What did you do to her?"

"Nothing," Phoebe said insulted. Why did Prue have to think it was her fault?

Phoebe thought about Alma's words, while she cleaned up the pieces of glass on the floor. Had Cole really broken up with Alma, because of her? Or had Alma just said that, because she had been drunk? Phoebe headed to the way out of the saloon.

"Where are you going?" Prue asked when she saw Phoebe was about to leave.

"To Cole."

"Why?"

"To ask what this is all about," Phoebe said quickly, because she didn't want to stay in the saloon any longer.

"Alma's upset, pretty drunk and took it out on you. This probably doesn't have anything to do with you," Prue tried to convince her sister to stay.

"Maybe, but still..."

"You promised Piper to be here in the saloon. And do you really think Cole's waiting for you to barge in just after he broke up with someone else?"

Phoebe rolled her eyes. She didn't feel like listening to Prue's advice. Actually she never liked listening to that. Prue was probably right, it was going to be unlikely he was waiting for her to come, but she really wanted to see him. Especially now Alma had acted so strange.

"There's only one way to find out," Phoebe answered.

"You just can't leave like this. Besides I don't trust Cole, he..."

"So you're forbidding me now to go to Cole?" Phoebe asked tired of Prue's protective behaviour.

"Phoebe, I'm only asking you to think for once before you'll..."

"Screw up?"

"I wasn't going to say that," Prue said surprized.

"No, but it is what you thought. Because that's what I always do, don't I?" Phoebe began to yell, which caused some of the people in the saloon to look at them, "I'm your good for nothing little sister. Everything that goes wrong is my fault, isn't it? Well, you should be happy to know I'm not going to stay here long anymore. I'm going to leave and then you can be free from ever worrying about me again. You and Piper will be freed from me at last. You're finally getting what you deserve, because we all know you're better of without me."

Phoebe slammed the saloon doors as she left Prue in the saloon who was confused about where her sister's sudden rage came from.

"Phoebe!" Prue yelled, knowing she couldn't chase Phoebe, because one of them had to stay at the saloon.

The oldest Halliwell sister could only helplessly stare at the palmist who walked on without looking back once.

Phoebe knew she probably had acted too harsh in this situation, but it just were all the little annoying things she had bottled up and all came out in once.

A rain drop landed on her nose, while Phoebe continued to walk to the ranch. She looked up to the dark sky, which she hadn't noticed before. Little by little more and more raindrops began to fall at her. She wished she had put on something more warmer than the long, white skirt she was wearing now. But there wasn't one single thought in her mind telling her to go back to her home. Whenever she had made up her mind about something there was no one who could hold her back. She quickened her pace, hoping to be at the farm before she would be completely soaked.

---

Cole tasted the savour of blood in his mouth. It all had happened very fast. One minute everything had been fine, the other minute someone had hit him several times in the face from behind. He lay on the floor, trying to see who had hit him, while he still had the feeling something was thumping his head.

Because of the thundering weather, it had been easy for someone to come into the farm without being heard. A flash of lightning lit the room, through which he finally could see who had beaten him. He recognized the dark blue eyes, the eyes of Raynor.

"I'm honoured you came to kill me in person," Cole said sarcastically, "you didn't have someone to clean up your dirty bussinesses this time?"

"Get up, Cole. I'm not here to kill you... At least not yet."

Cole stood up, while he wiped off some blood from his lip.

"What do you want?"

"Forgotten you owe me some money? It wasn't very nice of you to leave like that. Especially not from someone who gave you everything you needed. Money, a home, a job... a life. "

"You came here for money?" Cole cut Raynor off.

"I'll give you a couple of weeks, which is very generous, don't you think?"

"We both know it isn't your style to chase someone a year only for money. What's the real reason you're here?" Cole asked suspicously.

He knew Raynor's actions very well and whenever someone betrayed Raynor it wasn't a coincidence none of them lived long. The fact that Raynor only was here for money was something he didn't believe.

"If I were you I should be more worried about paying your debt... before someone gets hurt."

Cole gazed angrily to Raynor. He had heard Raynor threatening people so many times, he himself had threatened so many people, but now Raynor seriously had threatened him he finally understood how all those people had felt.

"You have a sweet little sister, don't you?" Raynor added and a light sparkle appeared in his eyes.

Cole let his anger take over and flew at Raynor's throat, wanting to hurt him. He wanted to get rid of Raynor. He wanted him to be gone. He wanted everything from his past to be gone. And most of all, Jodie had to be safe. She didn't deserve to be punished for his mistakes.

"If you lay a finger on her..." Cole threatened.

"It's good to see you haven't changed," Raynor began to laugh," You still get angry easily."

It satisfied Raynor to see his pupil still had a lot of fighting spirit. Cole even used the same battle tactics Raynor had taught him. Raynor smiled a bit in himself, having a slight feeling of victory. It wasn't going to be hard to get Cole on his side again.

Cole let go of Raynor. He wasn't going to kill anyone. Besides killing Raynor would only lead to more problems. Although Raynor had the nerve to come here alone, Cole knew Raynor had a lot of men somewhere backing him up. After all he had been one of those men.

"But maybe I don't have to kill your sister," Raynor said, " Maybe it will hurt you more when something happens to your eavesdropping lady."

Cole glanced not understanding to Raynor before he turned round and saw what Raynor meant. A woman standing in the doorway in the distance. Her brown hair was sopping and pasted against her skin, while the drops on her clothes and at the ends of her locks were dripping on the floor.

"Phoebe?" Cole asked surprized.

The palmist looked shocked at him, knowing the two men had discovered her presence here. She didn't know what she exactly had seen, but she did know it was something she'd better couldn't have seen. She began to run away.

"Phoebe!"

Cole yelled again, but the only sound he heard was of the wind and the lightning. He turned round, expecting to see Raynor. However his mentor already had left since he had said everything he wanted to say.

"Damn it," Cole muttered.

He quickly grabbed his coat, wondering why Phoebe had been here and probably even more important, what she had seen. Before he chased her in the cold, rainy night, he glimpsed once more to the sky, which was as dark as before. The storm wasn't over at all.

_ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ_

_A/N: I got rid of Alma kind of fast... of wasn't that the end of her yet in this story? Anyway, from now on much more Phoebe/Cole! _

_When my headache was over, I got something much worse... I got tons of inspiration for other new stories! ;) So maybe I'll post and write another Phoebe/Cole story next to this one. I just want to warn you that if I'll do that, I might update this story a bit slower..._


	6. Inevitable

_First of all, my apologies. It has been, I'm ashamed to say it, almost 3 years ago I've started this story. I haven't updated in forever, because I got too busy with college and I lost my inspiration for continuing this fic._

_But the good news is that I'm going to finish story, because I got nice reviews and I actually like the plot I had made up for this story ages ago, although I did change some things. Furthermore it just looks ugly when a story isn't finished... so I just have to finish it. Well not right now, there are many chapters to come to this story, but here already finally is chapter 6! (Can you say 'already finally' right after each other in one sentence? Oh well, I guess I just did)_

**- 6 -**

The darkness of the night and the heavily rain fall blocked most of Cole's vision. The farm and the barn had been turned into nothing more but great black objects to him now. To catch sight of a feminine figure, who probably didn't want to be found, was going to be hard under these circumstances.

"Phoebe!"

Another flash of lightning shortly brightened the horizon, rapidly followed by the uproarious rumbling of a thunderclap. Cole stood still and let the rain fall down on him. He had been looking for a while now and he felt cold. He wanted to go back inside to warm up.

"Phoebe!" he yelled again.

Maybe she was already long gone and he had been yelling here for nothing, looking like a total idiot. He stared one last time into the direction of the path to the town.

A sudden sound behind him made him turn around faster than he initially had planned. As he did, he felt a harsh poke in his stomach and let out a groan of pain.

He blinked his eyes several times, before he became fully aware that Phoebe was threateningly standing in front of him with a rusty pitch-fork, which was pointed at him, in her hands. She must have found that tool in the barn.

"Who was that guy?" she hissed to him.

"You're better of not knowing."

Phoebe wasn't pleased with the answer and came closer to him, thrusting the pitch-fork once more into the upper-part of his skin. Cole kept stepping back until he reached a wall of the farm with his back. He swore inwardly, when he realized he had left his pistol in the farm after the meeting with Raynor and was completely unarmed at the moment.

"What was going on in there? If you don't tell me I'll hand you over to the sheriff… or Matt."

"I didn't do anything wrong," Cole held his hands up high, as a sign he was innocent.

"It won't be hard to make up a story in which you did," his attacker said sinisterly.

It was difficult for her to estimate whether her words had any real effect on him, so she decided to draw nearer and have a better sight of his face.

"Besides that guy must have hit you for some reason," she continued, "and you're pretty darn good in shooting too… You're involved with some kind of filthy business?"

Although Cole didn't enjoy sharing his past with anyone, he knew very well that telling was a better option than getting tortured with a pitch-fork. At the most the palmist would run away scared and tell others in town, which would cause them spreading rumors about him. It actually wouldn't be a bad thing if that happened. They would stay away from the farm and stop asking questions.

"I was an assassin," he finally gave in.

"And that guy?"

"You don't really make friends when you're an assassin."

The woman in front of him glared intensely at him, letting him know that his response was too vague.

"I quit being an assassin and left suddenly. He wasn't too happy about it, I still owe him money," Cole explained in short sentences, partially because he didn't like her to know details and partially because it wasn't comfortable talking, when someone was forcing you in the pouring rain.

She remained quiet for a moment, considering what to do with the newfound information.

"Okay," she muttered.

Eventually Phoebe dropped the pitch-fork on the ground, where the tool lay undangerously after being an useful weapon.

Cole was surprised by her resigned attitude and didn't know what to think of it. Maybe she was very naive and carefree or maybe she was just planning on having him killed later.

Huge raindrops made him become aware again of the bad weather, after being threatened.

"Let's go inside," he said, immediately suiting the word to the action. He heard Phoebe following him.

It took a few seconds before his eyes were completely adjusted to the light in the house. Now the rain was no longer falling on him, he felt how soaked his clothes were, as they were sticking on his body.

"Do you want a blanket?" he asked his sudden guest.

He saw Phoebe sitting on the table in the middle of the room, noticing that she was soaked as well. Something he hadn't seen in the darkness outside. His gaze stopped at her white top that had become see through, because of the rain.

"Yea," Phoebe answered, while she tried to straighten up her hair.

After a brief moment she observed that Cole hadn't moved yet and was still looking at her, at her bosom to be more precisely. A mischievous smile appeared on her face, seeing the desire in his eyes.

Becoming aware of Phoebe's look and feeling caught, Cole left the room almost tripping over his own feet, to find a blanket.

He tried to focus his mind on different things. He needed different clothes. Phoebe needed different clothes. Jodie's clothes would be too small for her to wear and he wouldn't mind if Phoebe didn't change… Cole shook is head. "_Blanket, blanket, blanket"_, he repetitively said to himself.

Phoebe heard him rummaging in the other room for a while. Even though it was warmer in the farm than outside, it was still chilly and the goose bumps on her arms didn't disappear either.

Cole walked in the room again and flung the promised blanket to her, which she quickly wrapped around her. The unexpected movement of throwing caused a fierce stinging pain in his stomach. He writhed, putting his hands on the place where it hurt most, whilst he bit his teeth to hold back swearwords.

"Did I hurt you?" Phoebe asked concerned. She beckoned him to come to her, before he could walk away again to get dry clothes for them like he had planned to do.

When he stood in front of her, she lifted up his shirt and felt a bit guilty, seeing the red spots on his belly, which she had made herself in his flesh with the pitch-fork earlier. She placed her hand tenderly on the sore wounds.

"You're bleeding," she noticed.

He wanted to look down at his stomach, but when he felt her fingers softly touching his lip, he realized she was talking about the wound Raynor had given him. She slowly came closer and started to kiss up his bleeding skin. He was turned on by feeling her irregular breathing on his face. Not being able to resister her, he hungrily answered her kisses, as he pulled her closer.

"On second thought, I won't be needing this anymore to heat up," Phoebe threw the blanket off and smiled seductively to him.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and he roughly lifted her up from the table, feeling her body against his, which made her let out a soft moan.

While the storm outside was slowly coming to an end, the storm inside was just about to rise.

--

As the twilight slowly began to gather outside, Piper cleaned some tables that were penetrated with the smell of alcohol. Actually the whole saloon smelled bad and cleaning didn't make much difference. Piper looked around in her saloon to see the few costumers who were inside and drinking. It looked like it would be a quiet evening for the saloon today.

A man who was sitting at the bar, waved her hand at her signaling he wanted a new drink. She had already noticed him the minute when he walked in here. Matt hadn't been here for weeks and his sudden presence made Piper worry after everything that happened between him and Phoebe.

She walked to the bar, while she wondered why a person like him had to be the son of the sheriff out of all the people in the town. She handily poured his drink and shove it to him.

"Your sister has been sleeping with Cole huh?" Matt said out of nowhere. He seemed to be drunk.

"_It was inevitable,_" Piper thought to herself, but she knew better than to give that as an answer to Matt.

She had only seen Cole twice. If she even could call that as seeing him, it had been at night both times and actually all she had seen was a blurry figure leaving the saloon.

For as far as she knew Cole and Phoebe had been hooking up for only a few days. She was a bit surprised Matt had this knowledge so soon, but she should have known better. News traveled fast in the town, spicy rumors even faster.

"If you want to know more about my sister, you should ask her yourself."

"He's a dangerous man," Matt continued, not listening to Piper's answer," he doesn't care about anything."

Piper saw Matt taking another sip of his drink and decided that this was his last drink for the night.

"He kills people for money…" Matt moved closer to her, " He killed my sister."

Piper stared in shock at Matt, when she fully realized what he just had said.

"And what if he did?" Phoebe suddenly interrupted as she walked down the stairs and had heard a part of the conversation.

Startled by Phoebe's appearance and her nonchalant reaction, Matt got in a black temper.

"He's going to be the death of all of you."

Phoebe wanted to say something, but Piper stopped her, knowing that anger and alcohol weren't the best combination. Especially not for hateful comments.

"You're going to be sorry you've ever let him in here," the sheriff's son pointed at Phoebe and threw his drink in her direction.

Instinctively Phoebe stepped back, but she knew she had reacted a tad too late, when she felt the cold liquid gliding on her skin and clothes. The glass broke on the ground, which caught the attention of the other customers. A burning feeling made her look at her hand, seeing a few shatters of glass had reached her skin, leaving shallow cuts.

Matt grinned at the sight in front of him and almost fell over, when he tried to get up from his seat. He made his way stumbling to the saloon doors.

"I'll make sure Cole will end up in hell," he yelled angrily before he left.

Piper stared to the entrance of the saloon to make sure Matt didn't return suddenly. When there was no sign of this occurring, Piper turned to her sister, looking concerned at the wounded hand.

"It's nothing," Phoebe reassured her, while she softly rubbed her own hand.

After Piper cleaned up the mess Matt had made, she sat next to Phoebe and began to whisper.

"Cole's an assassin?"

"He _was _an assassin," Phoebe corrected expressly.

Piper gazed frowning at the palmist, showing that she didn't like the thought of that either.

"Don't worry. It will be okay," the youngest Halliwell tried to convince her sibling, "Just don't tell Prue."

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

_A/N: Yup, chapter 6 is finished!_

_If you read, thank you._

_If you read and review, thank you very very very much! I will love you forever... unless that scares you. _

_And the next update will be faster than in three years ;)_


	7. Bloody warnings

_Here comes chapter 7!_

_Ginaaaa- Thank you. Yea, I was surprised that I still got a review after 2,5 years. And I've improved my update skills, I even updated in the same year as the last update!_

_Phoebe Turner Halliwell- Your favorite unfinished story? Lol! Yup, I really have been testing your patience. I'm happy you're still reading :) _

**- 7 -**

"You figured you needed all your friends to overmaster me? I'm honoured you think I'm that strong," Cole remarked sarcastically.

He had already seen the figures coming to the farm from a long distance. Now he stood face in face with Matt and about five other men the son of the sheriff had brought with him.

Without any hesitation Matt hit Cole in the face with one of his fists before Cole had anticipated this. His cheek began to burn and became red.

"You've always been a coward," Cole said to Matt after rapidly recovering from the blow and looking to the person's faces in front of him. He didn't know anyone of them.

"Only because you made me one," Matt whispered angrily, as he narrowed his eyes.

Matt gave a signal to his men, which made them come at Cole at once. Although Cole tried to defend himself the best he could and he hurt some of his attackers, he knew very well from the beginning he was chanceless against them. Five were too many for him. He felt stitches of pain, punches, kicks and smacks everywhere. Eventually he landed hard against a wall, where he remained sitting against.

"Look at me," the sheriff's son demanded.

"Before I die I'd rather see all my bowels coming out than your face," Cole protested, keeping his face turned to the ground.

"You really think you're going to get away with such an easy death?" Matt laughed aloud.

He powerfully took a hold of Cole's chin, forcing his self-claimed enemy to reluctantly look him in the eye.

"I don't think you could have done me a greater favour than returning to this town. Now I have all the time I want, to make your life miserable."

Matt let go of Cole and gave him a last kick on his side as a clear remembrance of his warning message, causing Cole to writhe.

Cole saw the legs of Matt and his companions turning away from him. He tried to get up, when his attackers were finally completely out of sight, but a pain shuddering in his back hindered him to do so. His eyelids became heavy and after noticing how quiet and deserted the environment around him was, he gave in to the need to close his eyes.

--

"You're making breakfast?" Prue asked unbelieving, when she saw her two sisters and Leo early in the morning in the small kitchen and it surprisingly was her youngest sibling who was preparing something that looked like some kind of soup.

Phoebe nodded without looking up. Although it hardly could be called a breakfast by the sight of it and it was likely to explode in any minute, Phoebe was quite proud of herself for making it.

"It's not for us," Piper said, who had been looking fascinated at Phoebe making a meal for a while now.

"Luckily," Leo wanted to say, but Piper signed him in time to remain silent to prevent him for getting in trouble before he could even speak a word.

Piper was a good cook herself and she had seen many different dishes in her life, but never anything like this. She didn't even know it was possible someone could use so many ingredients for a soup.

"I'm making breakfast for my man," Phoebe explained to Prue in a singing tone, as she began to stir the brown grounds with orange lumps in the pan.

When Phoebe had gone to the farm last night to see Cole, she had come across Jodie instead of him. Cole's sister had stammered some words, trying to explain Cole had been attacked by Matt and she had found him injured.

Phoebe agreed to the suggestion of Jodie to visit Cole and she went to the bedroom, where Jodie had dragged him into with difficulty, to see him peacefully sleeping. Frightened by the sight of his terrifying bruises and wounds from the beating, she left quickly again.

Doing something nice for him, was the least she could do now and cooking was the first thing that mysteriously had come to her mind.

"You're going to Cole again? I think he's dangerous," Prue showed her dismay.

"You just sound like Matt," Phoebe stated calmly, knowing very well that Prue wouldn't like that comment. Her sister's aversion for her newest flame made Phoebe's wish to go to Cole even stronger.

Leo started to say something about Matt, Piper however shook her head and he abruptly stopped his sentence.

Phoebe finished stirring, not because she thought that her soup was ready, but she got rather bored with the constant stirring. She took a bowl of glass out one of the cupboards and poured the muddy substance into it. With an old cloth in her hands to prevent her from burning her skin, she carefully grabbed the bowl with the warm liquid like it was a precious treasure she had to protect.

"If you excuse me, I have a meal to deliver," Phoebe smiled happily, "You're coming, Leo?"

"Why?" Piper shot a questioning look to her boyfriend, who was just as ignorant as she was about this news.

The relationship between Piper an Leo had become pretty serious in the last weeks and the Halliwells had gotten used to him being around most of the time. He had become like a new member of their family.

"You can talk now," Piper insisted, when Leo still hadn't said anything.

"He likes seeing the animals on the farm," Phoebe answered for Leo.

"Since when?" Piper asked surprised.

Prue and Piper watched Phoebe quickly dragging Leo out of the kitchen before he could reply, hearing the creaking from the old steps as Phoebe and he went downstairs. They were left alone with the odd smell of their sister's soup.

"Phoebe and cooking, that's definitely something new," the middle sister commented, while she examining looked at what was left in the pan and questioned what had created the slimy black strings in the unusual boiling.

"You don't think she has really fallen for that guy, right?" Prue wondered.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. She's going to poison him before we will find out… Poor Cole."

--

"Your lifeline says you're going to become very old," Phoebe tried to predict the future, while she was holding Cole's hand.

She had no clue about which line on a hand was the lifeline, so she decided to point at the largest line on his palm.

When Phoebe first found Cole in the morning, still sleeping in his bed, she sat beside him on the mattress. After Cole had slowly awoken by her appearance, Leo looked at the injuries.

It had taken her a lot of labour to convince Leo to examine Cole, since Leo kept on telling her that he wasn't a real doctor yet like his father. It had been even harder to make sure that Leo wouldn't tell her sister about this. Phoebe didn't want her sisters to know about Matt beating up Cole, because it would only make them more concerned.

Piper's lover bandaged up some wounds, mentioned something about broken ribs and advised rest. Looking at Phoebe's gaze, Leo clearly got the message she wanted to be alone with Cole and he left.

Cole tasted her self-made soup and said he wasn't really hungry at the moment, but he gratefully thanked her anyway, which made her feel happy. It made her feel content to receive a compliment from him.

To tell the truth Phoebe didn't know what they really had together and they hadn't talked about it either. Actually they hadn't had any real conversations at all. They had been fooling around and teasing most of the time. It seemed that he was a man who didn't open up easily and maybe that was what intrigued her even more.

On the one hand she couldn't deny the urge to want more with him eventually. On the other hand she didn't mind the situation remaining the same, it was comfortable and well-known territory for her. Furthermore they only had been together for over a week after all. There was no need to rush things.

"Oh!" Phoebe exclaimed enthusiastically, pretending to see something in his hand, "I can see that your soul mate is a very attractive woman, with dark eyes and light brown hair. She has a very interesting job as well, she's a palmist."

"Damn, I was hoping for a sluttish blonde," he joked.

"Cole!" she playfully poked him, "You're evil, you know that."

"Yes, I'm very lucky to have such an innocent angel as you with me."

Phoebe began to laugh. No one had ever thought of calling her that before. She lay down next to him, resting her head softly on his injured chest as he began to stroke her hair.

"Do you really believe in soul mates?" the ex-assassin suddenly asked her seriously.

"I think so. I suppose it's just hard to find one, I've been searching a lot…" she thought back to her ex-lovers, who all turned out to have many flaws, "Don't you believe in it?"

Cole raised one of his eyebrows and shook his head.

Noticing her unsatisfied look to his answer, he made a suggestion. "I'll be your so-called 'soul mate' if you want."

"Sheesh, how can I refuse such a romantic offer like that, if you don't even believe in it?" the Halliwell retorted.

"Hey, take it or leave it. It sure saves you a whole lot of time searching."

She ignored the mocking tone in his voice and stared at the low wooden ceiling above them, vaguely recalling conversations she had with several of her customers. Most of them, who were seriously interested, wanted to know about their future love-life. It had made the young palmist think about love.

"It's not something you suddenly decide. Fate decides it for you. It just happens," she spoke her mind.

A devilish smile slightly appeared on Cole's face. He leaned in very carefully for a tender kiss, because his whole body was aching whenever he moved. After enjoying the kiss to the fullest, he satisfied let his head fell on the soft pillow again.

"See… fate decided," he grinned, making her to roll her eyes.

A short loud scream coming from the living room startled both of them. Phoebe got rapidly up from the bed, while Cole had more trouble to get in action because he was hindered by his wounds.

"Wait," Cole said in vain as Phoebe already had left the bedroom.

The first thing Phoebe saw, while entering the living room, was Cole's sister standing there petrified. Without interruption the teenager was staring at an object on the floor and had a pale face of fear. As Phoebe came closer, the figure turned out to be a lying body, that had an even whiter colour than Jodie.

The dark red stains of blood on the corpse stood out significantly. The simple dress of the dead body was ripped apart and there were multiple deep cuts slashed into her. The woman must have been murdered a while ago, because the blood was already desiccated. Horrified by the heavily damaged body at first, Phoebe finally looked at the face and identified the person. It was Alma.

Phoebe held her hand for her mouth, holding back the urge to vomit. Not only the sight of the corpse, but also the undeniable fragrance of it, were seriously testing the strength of her stomach.

Since fights often occurred in the town, Phoebe had seen death before, but she had never stood so close to a dead body before. Prue had always made sure that she and Piper were confronted with as less violence and the consequences of it as possible.

Slowly Cole came in limping, looking confused from his girl to his sister to eventually the corpse on the ground in the middle of the room. Phoebe pressed Jodie against her, turning her away from the awful scene in front of them.

Still in shock, Cole squatted to have a better look at his dead ex-girlfriend. He seemed to immediately recognize the manner of how the cuts had been made in the body.

Phoebe heard him mumbling. "Raynor."

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_Another chapter done! I'm so proud lol. _

_I'll be going on vacation for a few weeks, but I'm going to try to update in the middle of September. I update as fast as I can :) Reviews are always welcome._


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